Authentic Walnut Baklawa

5 from 6 Ratings
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This Walnut Baklawa is a special, Middle Eastern dessert that’s made of layers of phyllo pastry, filled with crushed walnuts, and coated in sugar syrup that does not only go to your stomach but also to your heart! I’m sure it will be your go-to recipe anytime you crave something sweet.

As Ramadan is coming soon, you might be adding this delicious recipe to your dessert list for the holy month.



A mouthwatering walnut baklawa that's cut in diamond-shape pieces, wrapped in a crispy layers of phyllo dough and coated in sugar syrup. It is also sprinkled with delicious pistachios on top.
Crunchy and sweet layers.

A Dessert That Many Countries Fight Over Its Origin

The history of this sumptuous aromatic, buttery, and flaky delicacy is quite controversial, and unfortunately not very well documented.

Various ethnic groups, including those from the Middle East, Greece, and Turkey, claim ownership of Baklawa and make it according to their respective traditions. Several historians think that it has roots in ancient Greece, where the “gastrin”- a dessert similar to the modern Baklawa- was created.

It’s extremely difficult to pinpoint its origins since every region has added its unique twist to it over time.

Regardless of historical controversies, Baklawa remains a delicious classic Mediterranean dessert dessert that’s easy to make and perfect for your cozy nights.


A walnut baklava made of crispy layers of pastry with delicious walnuts inside. It is soaked in rose water fragranced sugar syrup and garnished with some pistachios.
Baklawa and coffee, yes, please.


Your All-time Favorite Traditional Baklawa

If you are not already a lover of Walnut Baklawa, you are going to be one as soon as you experience its heavenly taste. Apart from its deliciousness, it’s an easy-to-make recipe.

Yes, you heard me right! No matter how complicated it looks, the steps are super easy to follow and most of the work is for layering the baklawa.

No one can deny how beautiful this walnut baklawa is. It will make your gathering tables fancy and make your guests think you are a master chef.

Whatever occasion is coming your way, Walnut Baklawa will be your number one dessert recipe. It will wow them as each bite melts in their mouth.


A step by step to the delicious homemade walnut baklawa that include chopping nuts, brushing the dough and spreading the simple syrup all over the baklawa.
Each step is well worth your efforts!


What You Will Need for This Tasty Baklawa

Raw shelled walnuts

Orange blossom water

Rose water

Sugar

Ground cinnamon

Phyllo

Ghee

Butter

Qater/ Simple syrup

Sugar

Water

Lemon juice

Orange blossom water


A tray full of golden walnut baklawa pieces, wrapped in crispy layers pf phyllo dough, soaked in fragranced simple syrup and garnished with sweet pistachios on top.
Flaky Baklawa is the perfect option for your Ramadan nights.

Steps to Prep the Classic Baklawa with Walnuts

First, thaw the phyllo dough according to package instructions, and prepare the simple syrup ahead of time so it’s at room temperature.

Next, coarsely chop the walnuts in the food processor and transfer them to a bowl.

Then, add the sugar, cinnamon, rose water, and orange blossom water. Mix well and set aside.

Now, melt the ghee and butter in a bowl and set aside.

Then, count the phyllo dough sheets in the package; we are looking for 30-34 sheets. The Athens brand has two divided wrapped phyllo dough sheets per 1-pound package, which makes it easy to use.

After that, brush 1 tablespoon of butter/ghee onto your 9*13 pan. Trim about ½ inch to ¾ inch of phyllo dough from the short side to make it fit the pan. You can also use a slightly bigger pan without trimming.

Now, place 3 sheets of phyllo at a time, flat, then lightly brush with the ghee and butter mixture. Repeat until half the amount of sheets is finished.

Next, place the Baklawa filling evenly.

Then, layer another 2 phyllo sheets on top and lightly brush with butter/ghee mixture. Place another 3 sheets and repeat. For the last sheet, lightly brush. You should have some ghee/ butter left over, about ½ cup.

After that, cut the Baklawa into your desired shape, making sure to cut all the way to the bottom.

Now, pour the remaining amount of butter/ ghee all over, so it gets through the cuts.

Then, place it in the oven at 350 F for about 50-55 minutes, until it gets golden. You can rotate the pan halfway to make sure it browns evenly.

Once out of the oven, immediately pour the room-temperature Baklawa syrup on top.

Lastly, garnish the nut-filled Baklawa with finely chopped pistachios (if desired) and place into the fridge to cool for 2-3 hours.

Once cooled, reinforce the cuts again. Let it come to room temperature before removing and serving. Do not cover.



Pro Tips for This Authentic Walnut Baklawa Recipe

Stick the Baklawa in the fridge for a few hours after baking. It helps it stay crunchy and not soggy, and the layers stick to each other. Once cooled, you can remove it and leave it on the counter for a few hours to come to room temperature.

Mix ghee and unsalted butter for the best baklawa flavor.

Phyllo dough should be well thawed. The phyllo will become sticky and hard to manage with too much moisture. Keep the phyllo (fillo) in the package and refrigerate it for 12-14 hours before using it.

Make your simple authentic baklawa syrup ahead of time. It’s important that the syrup is cool when it hits the freshly baked, hot baklawa; this will ensure that the hot baklawa layers soak up as much syrup as possible. It can be prepared while the Baklawa bakes, but make sure to take it off the heat and place it in a cool place.

Prior to baking the walnut-filled Baklawa, make sure you cut it. The phyllo sheets are so flaky and will not cut evenly when baked. If you cut it after baking, you will not get clean pieces.


A special tray of golden pieces of baked baklava. They come together with layers of flaky phyllo dough, showered with the aromatic simple syrup and sprinkled with pistachios on top.
When a century turns into a taste.


Amazing diamond-shape cuts of walnut baklava. They consist of golden layers of filo pastry, sweetened with delicious simple syrup and garnished with pistachios.
Each bite is a heavenly experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I substitute puff pastry for phyllo sheets?

Despite having a flaky texture, puff pastry dough cannot be substituted for this Baklawa. Puff pastry puffs up during baking, making it unsuitable for Baklawa.

Is it necessary to use simple syrup?

Instead of simple syrup, you might use honey. While some people prefer baklawa with honey, I prefer simple syrup flavored with orange blossom water.

Can I freeze homemade Baklawa?

Yes, Baklawa can be frozen. It can be frozen the same day it is baked or a few days later.


Must-try Dessert Recipes:

Basbousa Bil Qishta (Semolina Cake With Cream)

Qatayef Recipe

Aish El Saraya Dessert

Halawat el Jibn (Sweet Cheese Rolls)

Knafeh Cheesecake

Sahlab Dessert Recipe

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Namoura (Harissa)

Baklava Cheesecake Bars

Knafeh Na’ameh


If you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.


walnut baklawa is made of layers of phyllo pastry and filled with crushed walnuts

Authentic Walnut Baklawa

Fatimah Alghweir
A scrumptious Walnut Baklawa that's made of layers of phyllo pastry filled with chopped walnuts and soaked in rosewater fragranced sugar syrup. Try this recipe to satisfy your cravings and impress your family!
5 from 6 Ratings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 24 pieces
Calories 270 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups raw shelled walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
  • 1 tablespoon rose water
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 pound phyllo
  • ½ cup ghee
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1⅓ cups qater/ simple syrup

For the Qater/ Simple Syrup:

  • cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Instructions
 

  • Thaw the phyllo dough according to package instructions, and prepare the simple syrup ahead of time so it's at room temperature.
  • Coarsely chop the walnuts in the food processor and transfer them to a bowl.
  • Add the sugar, cinnamon, rose water, and orange blossom water.
  • Mix well and set aside.
  • Melt the ghee and butter in a bowl and set aside.
  • Count the phyllo dough sheets in the package. We are looking for 30-34 sheets. The Athens brand has two divided wrapped phyllo dough sheets per 1 pound package, which makes it easy to use.
  • Brush 1 tablespoon of butter/ ghee onto your 9*13 pan. Trim about ½ inch to ¾ inch of phyllo dough from the short side to make it fit the pan. You can also use a slightly bigger pan without trimming.
  • Place 3 sheets of phyllo at a time, flat, then lightly brush with the ghee and butter mixture. Repeat until half the amount of sheets are finished.
  • Place the walnut mixture evenly.
  • Now, lay another 2 phyllo sheets on top and lightly brush with butter/ ghee mixture. Place another 3 sheets and repeat. For the last sheet, lightly brush.
  • You should have some ghee/ butter leftover, about ½ cup.
  • Cut the baklawa into your desired shape, making sure to cut all the way to the bottom.
  • Pour the remaining amount of butter/ ghee all over, so it gets through the cuts.
  • Place in the oven at 350 F for about 50-55 minutes, until it gets golden. You can rotate the pan half way to make sure it browns evenly. Once out of the oven, immediately pour the room temperature syrup on top.
  • Garnish with finely chopped pistachios (if desired) and place into the fridge to cool for 2-3 hours.
  • Once cooled, reinforce the cuts again. Let it come to room temperature before removing and serving. Do not cover.

Notes

  • Stick in the fridge for a few hours after baking. It helps it stay crunchy and not soggy, and the layers stick to each other. Once cooled, you can remove and leave on a counter for a few hours to come to room temperature. 
  • To get the best flavor, it is recommended to mix ghee and unsalted butter.
  • Phyllo dough should be well thawed. Too much moisture can result in sticky phyllo. Keep the phyllo (filo) in the package and refrigerate it for 12-14 hours before using it. 
  • Make your simple syrup in advance. It’s necessary that it hits the freshly-baked hot baklawa; this will ensure that the hot baklawa layers soaks up as much syrup as possible. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 4mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword Walnut Baklava, Walnut Baklawa, walnut baklewa
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

6 Responses

  1. 5 stars
    1st time I made this it was soooo easy! And sooo delicious and absolutely loved and devoured by my family alhumdulilaa! This recipe is super easy and flop proof!!! 10 out of 10 masha Allah!! Free Palestine. I’m making this again today for a party !!!!!

  2. 5 stars
    This turned out perfect! Better than store bought, I made it for an event and everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    This is my go-to baklawa recipe! I make it every Ramadan and throughout the year to rave reviews. Follow the recipe as written, comes out perfect every time!

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About Me

Hi, I'm Fatimah!

I’m here to guide you through the world of Palestinian cooking with a modern twist. Whether you’re longing for those nostalgic meals you grew up with or looking to try something new and international, you’ll find recipes here that connect the past with the present—all designed to be easy, approachable, and packed with flavor. Let’s bring the heart of home-cooked meals back into your kitchen!

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